A San Diego federal court jury yesterday rejected an Oakland Raiders fan's claims that San Diego police used excessive force in arresting her during a Chargers game four years ago.

The jurors decided that officers were justified in their actions because Elizabeth "Beth" Acosta of Oceanside was kicking and assaulting the officers and one of them had to put his arm around her neck and lift her off the ground to subdue her, a deputy city attorney said.

In her testimony, Acosta denied kicking the officers. Her lawyer told jurors that it wasn't necessary for the officers to use the neck hold or bind her arms and feet when arresting her.

The officer who put his arm around Acosta's neck in an effort to knock her out with a "carotid restraint" said she kicked him hard in the left shin with the heel of her boot while resisting arrest and that she also kicked other people.

"I felt it was the safest, easiest thing to do at the time," Officer Gary Hill said. "She stopped fighting ... almost immediately."

He said officers had to bind Acosta's feet to prevent her from kicking.

He said Acosta caused a disturbance in a stadium bar earlier during the Oct. 29, 2000, game at Qualcomm Stadium. He told her she would have to leave or face arrest.

Acosta testified she was feeling the effects of several beers she had had during a tailgate party and had gone into Murphy's Club and yelled, "Raiders! Raiders!" at a clientele composed mainly of Chargers fans.

Acosta faced criminal charges in state court of assaulting a police officer but was acquitted.

The jurors in U.S. District Court in downtown San Diego deliberated for three hours before reaching the verdict yesterday, said Deputy City Attorney Carra Lassman, who represented Hill and two other officers, Eric Stafford and Joseph Krouss.